David lyman



Uy/77M A N PETERS. PHOTv LITMDGRAPHER WASHINGTON D c 'tnih ftent stwt @frn DAVID LYll/IAN, @F MIDDLEFIELB, GNNECTICUT.

Letters Paten-t No. 63,273, (lated llfmck 2G, 1867.

IMPROVE) CLOTHES WRINGER.

T0 ALL WHOM IT MAY CON CERN:

Be it known that I, DAWD LYMAN, of Middlefield, in the town of Middletown, in the county of Middlesex, and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful improvements applicable to Clothes Wringers, the following being a full and complete description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specication, in whichl Figure I is a. side elevation oi' a wringer containing my invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same, showing a section through the pin c2 with the winch removed.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the same.

Figure d represents the cranks and connecting-rods and guide therefor, showing the device for keeping the guide properly located, with the jaws A B distended.

Figures 5, 6, and 7 represent other` forms of the device for keeping the guide properly located.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

My invention relates to clothes-wringing machines in which the two rollers are forced to turn together by means of cranks and connecting-rods attached to a slide at each end of the machine; but portions of thei invention `may be applied with advantage to other purposes.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe it by the aid of the drawings, and the letters of reference marked thereon.

A is the lower, and is an upper jaw or arm, and the two together formA one end of the frame to my wringer. A and B are similar jaws., and form the opposite en d of the frame. As the jaws A B" and their connections are similar to the'jaws A B and their connections, a. description, of one end will describe the other end also, and I shall usually refer to the jaws A B, but in so doing mean also to refer to thejaws A B at the same time. E is a rod of iron, and forms one side of the frame. Each end of this rod is shouldered or made smaller, and the small part at one end passes through eorrespondingly-sized holes in the jaws A B, and forms the centre upon which they hinge. The other end passes -in a similar manner through the jaws A B. The other side of the frame is formed by the section F of the wooden springs F'F, the ends ofA which arc-screwed to the jaws B. and B. A* is a projection formed on the lower side of the jaw A, and extends downwards there ronn'as shown. L L is a bell-crank lever hinged to the jaw A by the removable pin Z passing through it and also through the projection A** on the jaw. L3 is a thumb-serew in the end of the arm L, and screws against the under surface of the jaw A. By turning this screw in one direction the arm L is caused to approach the iixed arm or projection A* and gripe the side of the tub N between `them and hold the frame firmly thereon. By turning the thumb-screw in the opposite direction the lever releases the tub. The projection A** is furnished with several holes for the pin l to pass through, by selecting which the arm L of the lever L L may be made to iit snugly to the' various thickness of different tubs. The rubber clip k, passing around the jaw A and arm L, serves to release the lever from the tub so soon as the thumb-screw is slackened, and keeps the end of the screw bearing steadily against the jaw when not in use, thereby avoiding the rattling about of the lever and insuring that it shall always be open to the full extent allowed by the position ofthe screw L3. C is the lower roll upon the shaft c, and I) is the upper roll upon the shaft d. The shaft c isfurnished with cranks, cl, on each end, and turns in nicely fitted bearings formed in the upper surface of the jaw A. rIhe shaft d is also furnished with cranks, dl, ofcorresponding length, upon each end, and turns in nicely iitted bearings in thelower surface oi' the jaw B. G G are two connecting-rods attached by one of their ends to the respective cranks el all by the pins c2 d2, and connecting together at the opposite end and to the slide g, as shown. H is a guide for the slide g. It.

has a hole in one end which fits over the end of the rodvE, and is secured thereto by the nut c on the end of the rod. This nut is screwed up sufficiently to keep the parts A B II snugly together, but yet allows them to turn freely on their common centre. To the opposite end of the guide H a link, I, is attached by the pin z' through its centre, upon which it swivels. The respective ends of this link I are connected, one to the jaw A and the other to the jaw B, by the two links M, which are of suiiicient length to allow the rolls to be forced apart to the extent ofabout half an inch, to which distance the links limit their separation. '.lhis position of the parts is shown in fig. 4:. The links M being of equal length, hold the centre of theswivel link I, and consequently the end of the guide in the centre between them. As the jaws A B approach each other the links M, acting upon the opposite ends of the swivel link I, cause it to turn upon the pin t', and forces the guide H to keep-itself eentrallyvloeated between them; and as the jaws are again forced'apart the links, in the uct of extending themselves, turn back the swivelliuk, so that whatever position the jaws JLB assume, the guide H must becentrally located thereto. In a slot formed longitudinally in the guide H the slide g is mounted, so that it is free to slide in a direct line from the centre of the jaws A B'inthe direction of the centre between the rolls C l), back and.

forth to a suilicient distance, but is held rigidly in all other directions. To the crank-pin u? the winch K is attached, and as it is turned it turns the crank el and shaft c in the same direction.

In operating the machine, with the cranks c dl standingas represented in fig. 2, motion being ygiven to carry the crank cl towards the left or away from the rod E, the pin c2 acting through the connecting-rod G and slide g, will carry forward the rod G and connecting-crank d1. at the same speed, forcing the two rolls to turn together until they reach a nearly horizontal position, at which time the cranks and connecting-rods at the opposite ends of the shafts c d are in position to act with the same direct action as the first position spoken of, the cranks on the opposite ends of the shafts being set at right angles, or nearly so, one with the other, so that thc cranks at one end are in direct action whilevtllose at the other end are passing their dead-points. Thus a continuous rotary motion is transmittcdifrom one shaft to the other as surely as if they were geared together, and at the same time they are allowed to be pressed together or to separate as far as desired, and the ono shaft will turn the other with the same perfection incither position. The hinging of the guide II and the arrangement of the links thereto are very important, as without them the motion of the two rolls would not be transmitted from one to the other perfectlyrboth when compressed together and when extended. If the guide H he fixed to either jaw in the proper position for the rolls when compressed together, it will be found that as they diverge the arrangement becomes imperfect, for the reason that it requires more motion of the connecting-rod for one roll than for the other in order to make them both turn, and that wh'le the angle of the guide remains the same for thatjaw, its relative position wit-l1 the other jaw has changed, consequently changing the position of the dead-points o'f the cranks on the shaft carried in that jaw, and tending to cause the two rolls to move with varying velocities during different lportions, of their revolutions. The hinging of the guido and arrangement-of the links thereto prevents this, and insures that, as the rolls diverge from or approach towards each other, the guide will change its position, the same relative to each roll, so that although the position of the deadrpoints of the 'cranks change with the diverging or approaching of the rolls, yet, as they both change the same, the motion of both remains perfect. rlhe springs F F boar together at their centres, and the ends of the lower spring F are secured to the jaws B B', and cause it to serve as a part of the framing of the machine, as before indicated. Bolts, a, pass up through holes in the jaws A B, and also through the ends of both springs' F F. These bolts have heads, al, at'their lower ends, as represented, and are of square section for a little distance therefrom. The heads a.1 prevent their being drawn through the jaw A, and the-square portion of the bolts passing through correspondingly-shaped holes therein, prevent their turning. 'lhe other'ends of these bolts a are formed into screws and carry the thumb-nuts a2. By screwing down the nuts az the springs F F are compressed upon the upperjaw B, while the head al of the bolt a draws up the jaw A, thereby pressing the rollers .C D toffether through the action of the s rings F F', so that b settin down or releasin the thumb-nuts an c: o P y g g y required pressure may be obtained.

The springs F F may be made of Wood or metal, or partly of wood and partly of metal; the part F may be rigid, and a rubber or spiral spring may be inserted beneath thc thumb-nuts, or the rigid part may have a metal or wood spring attached thereto in the same manner as the part F; or, if desired, the several sections of the springs F F may be duplicated in wood or metal; or both F F may be omitted, and arubberor other spring may be used at eachend, and the bearings of the shafts and the rod E depende-d upon to hold the jaws of the frame in position, but I prefer the'form and material shown.

Fig. 5 shows another form of the'device for keeping the guide H properly located. In this form a toothed wheel is used in place of the link I, while the links M are-made in the form of racks, and gear into opposite sides of the wheel, as shown. The racks are kept in position against the wheel by springs, m; or guides may be placed on each side of the wheel and secured to the part Hite keep the racks in contact with tliewheel, if preferred. A

Another form for the device is shown in fig. 6. In this form the links M are dispensed with, and the swivel `link I has pins, il, at each end. These pins fit snugly into slots, b, formed in each of the jaws A B, and are secured therein by nuts or other convenient means upon their ends, to retain and brace the link in contact with thejaws. The pins z" are free to slideilongitudinally-in the slots In, and by forming these slots curving to a. suil'icicntextent, the guide H is maintained in its true position relative tothejaws, whatever position thejaws may assume. v

Another form, shown in fig. 7, is to form the slots in the two jaws A and B radial therewith, and in line one with the other, or nearly' so, which may bc donc by extending upward the lower jaw in the proper position, and also extending downward the upper jaw, and forming the link Iwith the arm longest which is furthest from the centre of the jaws. This form is not mathematically perfect in its operation, but is nearly enough so for practical use. Other forms will suggest themselves to any good mechanic whereby the guide H will maintain a central position relative to the shafts, but enough are shown to illustrate the invention.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent., is as follows:

l. I claim, in combination with the shafts c d, cranks cl d1 and donnee/tin -rods G G', a swivelling guide, I'I, operated so as to retain the central position during the greater or less divergence of the shafts, substantially 'as and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. 'I claim, in a clothes wringer having diverging jaws, a spring operating on both pairs ofjaws and acting as both spring and brace therefor, substantially as herein set'forth.

3. I claim', in a clothes-wringing machine, substantially as herein described, the griping arm L and spring la, operating substantially as herein set forth. I

' DAVID LYMAN.

Witnesses: EMIL VossNAcK,

KIMBALL W. STETsoN. 

